I say not to go to Penn State even with the full ride. The school is going through a transitional period (splitting the two semi-connected law campuses into two completely distinct entities) and does not place well at all outside of central PA. You'd end up working in Harrisburg for the rest of your life making 45-50k a year (which doesn't go far in the expensive northeast) and that'd be a good outcome compared to most of your classmates!

UH isn't a terrible choice here if you get a good scholarship. They have a great reputation within Houston. Many international companies have offices in Houston, which could help your international law goals, although you should really develop an interest in some other areas. There are not distinct international law firms like there are in other areas (personal injury, criminal defense, etc) so it can be nearly impossible to break into that field, especially if you aren't bilingual (preferably in Chinese, Japanese, or Arabic).

Oh, and UH/SMU/STCL/UT ALL have SIGNIFICANTLY more clout in Texas than Penn State. Do NOT leave Texas, unless it's for someplace in the T-14, if you hope to work in Texas after graduation!!! You're gonna need that alumni network!

International law isn't a thing for the overwhelming majority of people. And to the extent it is a thing, it's not a thing for people from schools like Penn State or South Texas College of Law. What do you even mean by "international law?" What type of job are you looking for that you think law school can help you get?

The schools you listed are very, very regional. Aside from Texas, none are a good investment without a full ride and a desire to practice in that market. And even Texas is pretty regional.

Please do your homework before you go to law school and spend all this money and time. Law school is probe the the biggest investment you'll ever make in your life, so don't go in blind. First, go do some research on job prospects and the legal market. Start with Law School Transparency's excellent data, and you'll see that HUGE numbers of people from these schools never find gainful legal employment. Second, figure out exactly what it is you want to do, because saying "international law" shows your naivete and you will almost certainly never do international law. Especially from these schools, family law, criminal law, and other local small firm work would be a great outcome.

Once you've done your research, if you still think law school is for you, then retake the LSAT and go to an elite school or go to a strong regional school for cheap.

I agree with the above comments. Penn State, even on a full tuition scholarship, is only a good option for those willing to live & work in Central Pennsylvania (housing is very reasonable, however).The University of Houston is an attractive option if you receive significant scholarship money & want to live & practice in the Houston, Texas area.

outrageousresipsa wrote:Technically, International Law is a real thing, so for anyone who says differently, they are flat out ignorant. It may be considered a very general and broad statement, but it is a real thing.

Nobody is saying that it doesn't exist at all. It's just that you don't have any shot at it coming from those schools and shouldn't even count on it coming from elite schools.

Sure, but thats like saying that "Constitutional Appellate Law" isn't a real thing simply because you don't have a shot at doing it coming from a school outside T14…

outrageousresipsa wrote:Technically, International Law is a real thing, so for anyone who says differently, they are flat out ignorant. It may be considered a very general and broad statement, but it is a real thing.

National Security for one…Anything that has to do with international policy (drones, rules of engagement, treatises)…Trademarks are international, copyrights are international (in case you didn't know, those are governed by international treaties)…international arbitration, conflict of laws…just to name a few for those who aren't quite up to a proper standard of knowledge

Last edited by outrageousresipsa on Sat Feb 07, 2015 8:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

So what I'm seeing here is go ahead and take the penn state scholarship so I can either do international law or constitutional appellate law. Deal. Thanks guys, this was certainly the guidance I was looking for!

So what I'm seeing here is go ahead and take the penn state scholarship so I can either do international law or constitutional appellate law. Deal. Thanks guys, this was certainly the guidance I was looking for!

This is all you need to care about...

So many issues here...

International law isn't a thing for the overwhelming majority of people. And to the extent it is a thing, it's not a thing for people from schools like Penn State or South Texas College of Law. What do you even mean by "international law?" What type of job are you looking for that you think law school can help you get?

The schools you listed are very, very regional. Aside from Texas, none are a good investment without a full ride and a desire to practice in that market. And even Texas is pretty regional.

Please do your homework before you go to law school and spend all this money and time. Law school is probe the the biggest investment you'll ever make in your life, so don't go in blind. First, go do some research on job prospects and the legal market. Start with Law School Transparency's excellent data, and you'll see that HUGE numbers of people from these schools never find gainful legal employment. Second, figure out exactly what it is you want to do, because saying "international law" shows your naivete and you will almost certainly never do international law. Especially from these schools, family law, criminal law, and other local small firm work would be a great outcome.

Once you've done your research, if you still think law school is for you, then retake the LSAT and go to an elite school or go to a strong regional school for cheap.

No one here is saying it's T14 or bust. T14 is the surest path to a desirable financial outcome, but even some T14 choices aren't desirable.

What TLS largely aims to do is make people think long and hard about their goals, their opportunities, and whether the choices they are making are smart ones.

UH on a full ride is a good outcome for someone wanting TX outcomes. PSU is not, regardless of financial aid.

What you need to do is look at your goals (this means what job you want to get, not what you want to study), research what it will take to reach those goals, and figure out what it will take to accomplish those goals. Too many applicants go into the application process where acceptance is the endgame. That is just the beginning. Once you have all options on the table, weigh them, research more based on your goals, and figure out if you can accomplish those goals with your options on the table.

If this comes off as condescending, that's too bad, because TLS will never be a cheerleader. TLS community exists to help each other make smart decisions. If the overwhelming response is a bad one, chances are you need to ask yourself why that is the case.

I go to UT. I targeted Houston during OCI. I think you're way overestimating UH's placement. It's a solid regional school and is just fine if you want small firm/local government type work in Houston. It's a poor choice for Houston big law. I mean, UT is an iffy choice for Houston big law.

Also, I don't know of any firm that pays 220K. You sure about that figure?